Month: February 2023

The fantasy genre frees budding authors from the confines of reality that restrict writers in other genres. Has a fascinatingly rich and unique world slowly been emerging in the depths of your soul? You’ll decide to write a fantasy novel sooner or later because your universe is screaming to be shared. 

If you’re a debut author, you need to know that writing your fantasy novel won’t be an easy ride. Take a look at these tips to boost the odds that others will fall in love with your character and world, whether you’re hoping to be traditionally published or want to go the self-publishing route. 

1. Make Sure Your Fantasy Novel Delivers All the Exciting Elements Readers Crave

Fantasy writers have an awful lot of freedom. You’ll want to run with it, but for your novel to be successful, debut fantasy authors do need to make sure their books contain all the elements readers yearn for. 

Here’s a quick look:

• Magic! Your novel absolutely must contain magic or supernatural elements to fit into the genre. Do you already have richly developed characters? Can you envision the world they inhabit? Get to work on creating your own magic system if it’s not there yet. 
• Complex characters. Your protagonist should never be perfect; readers won’t relate unless they also have serious (but perfectly understandable) flaws. Likewise, the main antagonist can’t just be a generic “bad guy;” readers must be able to understand how they got that way and have some sympathy.
• Vivid world-building. This is what truly sets fantasy apart from many other genres, because fantasy authors have the privilege of creating their worlds from scratch. Everything goes. However, it’s important not to drown readers with complex mechanics or distract them with overly flowery language. Make your world realistic, so your readers can see it when they close their eyes.
• A serious struggle. All good novels build up to a central conflict or struggle, culminate, and wind down to offer the audience a satisfying resolution or a taste for the next novel in the series.

2. Add Illustrations to Your Fantasy Novel for a Full Immersion Experience

Your fantasy novel clearly needs a book cover. Don’t stop there. Self-publishing authors should strongly consider working with talented illustrators to bring their fantasy novels to life. Why? The beautiful language in your novel certainly allows readers to build their own visuals, but dreamy illustrators push them in the right direction. 

You know what your world looks like, right? You know exactly how that epic elemental fight scene unfolded, and you can convey your protagonist’s facial expressions vividly. Hiring a fantasy illustrator allows you to share your vision with your audience. 

After interviewing illustrators and looking through their portfolios, you decide where you want to go. Some fantasy authors make their own rough sketches, while others prefer to describe the images they’d like to include in their novels in writing. Both can work well. 

Sometimes, a fantasy illustrator can even influence the plot — the images a gifted artist creates can add to your world-building efforts. 

3. Make Sure You’re Well-Read Before You Publish Your First Fantasy Novel

Nobody can argue against the idea that reading lots of novels makes you a better writer. Being widely read attunes you to beautiful language, masterfully-crafted plot lines, and characters so three-dimensional they might as well be jumping off the page and into your living room. 

Reading lots of fantasy novels, specifically, also gives you a better idea of the tropes that are trending in your genre and those that authors overuse. Staying up to date with what’s published in your genre helps you avoid being turned down by publishers because they recently published a similar novel. 

4. Imagine Your Ideal Readers — And Write for Them

Do you think your fantasy novel is “for everyone”? Don’t. Your book will never be everyone’s cup of tea. That’s not just inevitable but also perfectly OK. Imagine a “reader prototype.” She might be curling up on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate and a cat at her feet, for example. What are her hopes and dreams?

Imagining your perfect fantasy readers helps you narrow down your sub-genre, including:

• High fantasy, with its own unique laws of physics and fleshed-out magical system, may appeal to proud nerds. 
• Low fantasy, which combines elements of the “real world” and adds surprising layers on top, is perfect for readers who are wondering if there’s more to life.
• Dark fantasy, a style with horror elements.
• YA fantasy, specifically written with teenagers and young adults in mind. This sub-genre may also appeal to older readers, but your protagonists will typically be younger.

You don’t dogmatically have to stick to a given fantasy sub-genre, but broadly defining where you take your novel makes it easier for publishers to notice you. If you’re self-publishing your fantasy novel, a sub-genre also makes marketing efforts much simpler. 

5. Hire a Book Editor

No matter how meticulously self-edit your fantasy novel, you can count on the fact that there will be:

• Plot holes
• Structural problems
• Style issues
• Typos

Hiring a competent and experienced fantasy book editor can help you weed these problems out before you take the next step. A well-edited book can help you land a literary agent who will get your work published. It also ensures readers judge your book by its story if you’re self-publishing and that they keep reading if you write a sequel. 

6. Don’t Give Up

Every author reaches a point where they think the novel isn’t worth sharing with the world or that they can’t possibly finish it and be happy with the results. Have a few beers, go meditate, or hang out with your friends to relax. Then get back on that saddle and keep going. You can realize your vision. Stick with it, and you’ll get it done. 

Books are one of the best methods of storytelling out there, but no one ever pays much attention to what goes into creating a published piece of literature. From creating a main character to mapping out an entire plot structure, there’s a lot of work that goes into making a book ready to hit the shelves.

And while writing a story may occupy a lot of the author’s time and energy, that’s just one aspect of the publishing process. Editing is another essential part of preparing a book for the world. Research conducted in 2019 suggests that 85-90% of traditionally published books undergo all three stages of editing.

But what exactly does the term “editing” refer to? Today’s blog post will answer all of your burning questions about different types of book editing and what each revision step means for your manuscript. So, let’s get started! There are several different types of book editing, including copy editing, developmental editing, and proofreading. Each type of editing focuses on different parts of a project.

The Different Types of Book Editing

When it comes to book editing, there are three distinct types: Developmental Editing, Line Editing, and Copy Editing. Each has its own set of features, goals, and outcomes that can be tailored to fit a writer’s individual needs.

Developmental Editing focuses on the overall structure of the book, from the writing style used to the order in which information is presented. It involves lengthy conversations between editor and author to discuss the book’s conceptual content and ensure that readers will understand it. The goal is to help authors better structure their narrative for maximum impact.

Line Editing emphasizes improvement of sentence-level elements like grammar, punctuation, word choice, tone, and flow. This type of editing looks at how each sentence fits into the larger context of a book. The editor will make sure that each sentence is clear and meaningful while also providing continuity throughout the work.

Copy Editing focuses on refining an author’s text to correct any typos or mistakes in order to guarantee accuracy and consistency. Generally speaking, this type of editing looks out for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, usage, syntax, capitalization, numbering/lettering systems, etc. It also pays attention to factors such as layout, spacing, font sizes and styles.

Developmental Editing

Developmental Editing is often the first type of editing to take place. It involves taking a high-level look at the book as a whole and working on big-picture changes in content and order. Developmental Editors assess the work for structure, character arc, setting, pacing, and other larger topics that will make up the narrative in its entirety. This form of editing is typically employed by novels, non-fiction works, memoirs, and other more comprehensive genres.

When it comes to Developmental Editing, some editors find it helpful to approach the revisions with a reader’s eye in order to identify weaknesses and strengths within the piece. Conversely, others believe that it is best to focus more so on the work as a whole, paying attention to any potential inconsistencies or opportunities for improvement, such as correcting timeline issues or improving dialogue. Which ever approach you decide to take when undergoing this type of edit can greatly benefit your overall piece.

Once Developmental Editing is complete, it is then time to dive into the Facts and Narrative elements of your book. Many authors use research-based material when writing their works, which must be accurate in order for readers to trust what they are reading.

Story Flow

Story flow is one of the most important elements of a book. The flow of the story should be seamless and effortless, allowing the reader to easily follow it along. It’s essential that the author can progress each chapter in an efficient manner, making sure that crucial plot points are not lost or forgotten.

The biggest challenge with Story Flow editing is finding the right level of detail and structure. It’s a delicate balance between keeping the plot dynamic and allowing for enough exposition that readers don’t get lost in the story.

It also requires editors to look at every individual aspect of the plot and make sure there is cohesion throughout each chapter as well as between successive chapters. This includes making sure that characters are strongly developed so they seem consistent both internally and externally. Editors should also be looking out for lapses in logic and other instances where readers may get confused due to illogical development of events or characters.

Facts and Narrative

Facts and Narrative editing has become an increasingly important task for editor’s as readers have come to expect accurate information within a book. A fact-checker is someone who reviews all of the facts within a book, from historical events to statistics, to ensure their accuracy and reliability while also verifying associated sources. In contrast to a copy editor who makes sure the text reads well with accuracy of grammar and style, a fact-checker double checks that any details and facts in the textare factual and up-to-date with the current data available.

Fact-checking is generally required when there are scientific, legal or technical aspects to the text. In cases where there may be some debate or uncertainty over certain topics, a fact-checker will often look into both sides of the argument before making judgments. Similarly, if there are several conflicting versions of how something happened or was done – such as historical events – fact-checkers will investigate these opposing points of view to determine which is most credible, accurately fitting it into the narrative of the story.

In the digital age we live in today, truth is under scrutiny more than ever before, meaning that it’s essential for editors to ensure not only that mistakes do not occur through careless editing but that readers can trust what they read as being accurate and true. Without professional fact-checking on certain types of books, readers could be misled by outdated or inaccurate information.

Mastering facts and narrative requires skill and thorough knowledge in many different areas with no room for error. With this in mind, it is critical when hiring an editor that they possess experience and expertise in dealing with facts and narratives to ensure an accurate version is delivered to readers.

Copy Editing

Copy editing is the process of refining and fine-tuning a body of text. It encompasses multiple aspects, looking at syntax and mechanics, as well as organization and structure. Copy editors must review sentence structure, assess clarity and flow, check facts and verify accuracy, find misspellings and typos, check for consistency in things like capitalization rules or hyphenations, and make sure all reference links within the text are active and going to their proper destination. Copy editing can often be a relatively quick job because it’s largely focused on catching basic mistakes like misused words and wrong verb tenses.

Arguably copy editing is one of the most important steps when putting any project together. It’s certainly important that projects look pristine before submission or publication; however detractors claim that copy edits don’t go deep enough into the content to change its overall quality or purpose. While this may be true in some cases, it overlooks the value of having someone else review your work from an objective opinion with attention to detail. This could mean catching an unintentional word repetition or identifying an overly complex sentence structure that needs to be broken down for easier readability.

The importance of copy editing can not be overstated; afterall, little errors can take away from an otherwise great piece of writing. With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at the next step in book editing: finding the mistakes.

Revisions and Final Approval

Revisions and Final Approval are two very important stages of book editing. During revisions, editors work with the author to ensure that their manuscript is up to standard, in terms of structure, grammar, readability, etc. Authors will usually submit multiple draft versions to their editor and make changes in response to the feedback provided.

It is during the revisions stage that authors and editors have an open dialogue about certain subject matters or character developments. These conversations can result in significant revisions or even complete overhauls of certain aspects of a book. This is where experienced editors become especially valuable, as they are able to provide tools to help shape the writing in order to best achieve its potential.

At the same time, during this process it’s important for authors to remain true to their vision while also considering any editorial feedback they might receive. Other points of consideration are how budget and deadlines may affect revisions, as well as what the sign-off process looks like when it comes to approving edits before publication.

The final step in book editing is the Final Approval stage which marks the end of all revisions and the completion of the entire production process. During Final Approval, authors review any remaining editing needed and must approve any changes before the book can be printed and distributed. Upon approval, the edited book is then ready for final typesetting or formatting as needed before being released into the market place.

When it comes to both Revisions and Final Approval, success depends on a collaborative effort between both editor and author working together towards a common goal. Both parties have varying expectations when it comes to this phase including creative input, workflow management, budget limitations and more. Ultimately, it’s a delicate balance between making sure that authors receive quality feedback without stifling them creatively or taking too much control over the work itself.

Amazon Ads offers self-published authors a user-friendly and effective platform for marketing their books. It’s been two weeks since you launched your campaign, and you’re not seeing results – what gives? Don’t become despondent if you’re not seeing your conversion rate go through the roof; assess what coupler doing wrong.

There could be many reasons why you’re not experiencing the success you expected from your campaign. As published authors enter the space with large marketing budgets, many newbie self-publishers on the site like to blame this shift in the market for their poor performance.

While it might play a role in diminished sales through your ad campaign, it’s not likely the sole reason behind the results. Don’t give up with your campaign; make a plan to redirect your efforts and reassess your strategy. If you get the campaign right, it offers you a great return on investment.

Step back and analyze what you’re doing right and what’s going wrong with your Amazon Ads for your book.

Mistake #1 – Failing to Research Your Campaign

When starting on Amazon Ads as a newbie, it’s common to assume the ad manager does everything for you. Newcomers fail to put in the time to research the best keywords for their campaign and the correct method of structuring their ads campaign to achieve optimal results for their marketing budget.

Creating an ad and leaving it to run is the wrong approach to your strategy. While it takes time to see results from your campaign, you’ll get better traction with your plan by doing the research before you structure it.

Before you dive into creating your first campaign, watch YouTube videos on effective campaign structuring and read articles showing you how to build one that receives the desired results. It might take more work on the front end, but you’ll see better results in the long run.

Mistake #2 – Using the Wrong Keywords

Choosing the right keywords for your bids is essential to experiencing success with your Amazon ads campaign. You’ll need to select a few keywords and see which brings you the best results. Using too few keywords means you get fewer impressions, lowering your visibility on the site.

Using the wrong keywords also produces adverse results, limiting your ad exposure on the site while weakening your conversion rate. Spend time assessing the best keywords to use in your strategy and monitor their performance in your Ads Manager.

Mistake #3 – Not Monitoring Your Campaign

One of the best parts of using the Amazon Ads campaign strategy is it requires less management than Google or Facebook Ads. However, that doesn’t mean you can create the campaign and never monitor its performance.

You’ll need to assess your campaign results in increments of 30 to 60 days to analyze which ads are your top performers and which to cut away. Your bid price for your ad might be too low, and the Amazon algorithm doesn’t feel it’s worth promoting your ad.

Mistake #4 – Choosing to Follow the Selected Bid

Check your bid price to see if it matches your competitors. We recommend using the automatic bids feature in the campaign manager. Review your bid rice and adjust it, then leave it to run for two weeks to see if it makes a difference.

If your bid price is in line with the competition, another factor could be holding it up. For instance, if your competitor is bidding $0.15 per click, and you’re bidding $0.20, it might be that the Amazon algorithm identifies your ad as less relevant to the prospective reader browsing the site.

Amazon doesn’t want to promote ads it feels the users aren’t interested in seeing, as they may decide to leave the site and find what they’re looking for elsewhere. Are your keywords relevant, and do you have enough of them in your ad? Determine the relevancy of your ad and adjust as necessary.

Mistake #5 – Using Average Cost of Sale as Your Primary Metric

In theory, the average cost of sale (ACoS) is a metric showing you what you spend to sell a book, displayed as a percentage. Any figure over 100% is of no value to your campaign because you’re spending more to sell a book than you receive from a sale.

Any ACoS percentage under 100% means you’re making a profit. While it makes sense in theory, its application is not practical. The ACoS is misleading and not a good metric to rely on for your campaign success; we recommend leaving it alone.

Mistake #6 – A Weak Thumbnail and Description

If you designed your book cover yourself, that might cause the problem. Amazon sells to its users based on thumbnail images. If your DIY thumbnail doesn’t compress well, the user can’t assess the cover properly, reducing their interest in buying your book.

The cover art and its presentation are key to selling your work. Think of it like this; would you buy a product online with no pictures in the description? Research shows that product listings have much weaker sales volumes than those that do. Assess your thumbnail and ensure it’s high-quality and presented in high definition that’s easy for the prospective reader to view.

The book description might also contribute to low sales. Add more information under the Editorial Reviews section and include more details using Amazon’s A+ Content function. By boosting the description with more keywords, you make it more effective in search results.

Mistake #7 – Not Having the Patience to See Results

Many self-publishers assume that their Amazon Ads campaign should start producing results immediately, but that’s not the case. It takes time for the algorithm to build momentum and start promoting your book. We recommend giving it at least two to four weeks to see the results from your ads.

After a month of running your campaign, look at the best-performing ads, keep them, and stop promoting the others. Focus your marketing budget on promoting the best-performing ad, and you’ll notice a change in your conversion rate.

Stay patient and persist with your campaign strategy. If you’re not seeing results after four to six weeks, reassess your camping and look at what you need to do